Spinning apparatus



July 20, 1937. QQPPENLAENDER Erm; 2,087,606

` SPINNING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 3l, 1935 2 .Sheets-Sheet 1 l 21m/35 65)', Tfn/65W N \l Pk ff), im ff' ATTORNEYS July- 20, 1937.

SPINNING APPARATUS Filed oct. s1, 1935 2 sheets-sheet 2 6 I v i a( i e0 l 44? f5 /7 5? O. OPPENLAENDER T AL Patented July 20, 1957l aesinet SPINNING APPARATUS km' Oppenlaender and William G. Lea, Rome, Ga., assigncrs to Tubize Chatillon Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application ctober 31, 1935, Serial No. 47,682

5 Claims.

This invention relates to stretch-spinning of rayon, and the like, and has for its object the provision of certain improvements in such apparatus. A particular object of the invention is the provision oi an improved spinning apparatus having 5 a pair of power-driven rotors angularly adjustable with respect to one another, and adapted to be driven as a unit at different speeds. The invention further contemplates the provision of multiple unit spinning apparatus constructedv to 1i) provide individual speed control of each unit,

thereby facilitating thread adjusting and cleaning of individual units Without disturbing the operation of the machine as a Whole. In its preferred aspect, the invention provides spinning ap- 1'1 paratus of the class described constructed to permit stretching of freshly coagulated laments during the spinning thereof, and collecting mechanism arranged to collect thread passing from the stretching mechanism.

2o In its complete and preferred form the apparatus of the invention comprises a rotatab-ly mounted spindle having a rotor secured to one end thereof. A second rotor, spaced from the rst-mentioned rotor, forms therewith a pair of 35 guide free looping rotors around Which the freshly coagulated laments are lapped or looped. The second rotor is angularly adjustable with respect to the first-mentioned rotor, as for example by mounting it pivotally about an axis perpendicu- 30 lar to its axis of rotation. Such construction facilitates adjustability of progressive feeding of the thread or the like from loop to loop as they pass around the rotors.

The second rotor is adapted to be driven from 37? the rst-mentioned rotor, for example by connecting the rotors together in any suitable manner, in order to permit the pair of rotors to be driven as a unit. Driving means, preferably in the form of a drive shaft, is operatively arranged 40 to be connected to the spindle and disconnected therefrom at will. Suitable thread-collecting mechanism, for example a bobbin, is provided -to collect the thread after its passage in loops over the pair of rotors. The bobbin or other collecting mechanism is driven separately from the rotors, for example, by means of a bobbin drive/ shaft, and means are provided to correlate the driving speed of the bobbin and the driving speed l of the rotors to permit contraction of the thread in its passage from the rotors to the bobbin.

It is advantageous to mount the rotors in spaced relationship vertically one above the other, for in this manner especially compact construction of 55 the spinning unit may be achieved. It Will be (Cl. lig- 8) understood, however, that the rotors may be mounted in other relative positions Without departing from the invention.

It is desirable that the rotors be driven at relatively lovv speed when the freshly coagulated laments are Wound thereupon, for it is dihicult to 5 thread properly the rotors if they are rotating at a relatively high speed. On the other hand, it is desirable to drive the rotors at relatively high speed during the actual spinning operation, in order to achieve an adequate spinning rate. 10 Moreover, in the case of multiple unit machines, it is desirable that one spinning unit may be stopped and started again, without disturbing the operation of the balance of the machine. This enables the stopping of each individual poWerdriven rotor pair for cleaning and adjusting individually the advancement of the thread on the rotor surfaces. VThese ydesirable features are achieved byrproviding separate high and lo-w speed rotor driving means, for example a high speed drive shaft and a low speed drive shaft, and means in the nature of aclutch slidably mounted on the spindle and rotating therewith for opera-` tively connecting and disconnecting the spindle with respect to each of .the driving means.

The invention is particularly adapted to be embodied in the construction of multiple unit spinning machines. Thus, the bobbin drive shaft and rotor drive shafts may be of any desired length, Within practical limits, and a plurality of individual spinning units comprising a rotatably mounted spindle positioned substantially transversely With respect to the drive shafts, a rotor secured to the spindle, a second rotor spaced from the Erst-mentioned rotor and suitably connected therewith to be driven thereby, clutch means associated with the spindle for operatively connecting and disconnecting the spindle With respect to `each of the drive shafts, and threadcollecting mechanism may be arranged Von one or both sides of the drive shaftsthroughout the length thereof. Especially satisfactory multiple unit spinning machines may be constructed comprising a pair of rotor spindles mounted in axial alignment substantially end to end. A rotor is secured to the outer end portion of each spindle. Second rotors spaced apart from each of the thus mounted rotors form therewith pairs of rotors, and flexible driving means connecting the rotors of each pair permit the driving of each pair of rotors as a unit and rapid adjustment of thread advanceon the rotors. Separate clutch means associated with each. spindle are provided for operatively 55 Cil connecting and disconnecting each of the axially aligned spindles with respect to each of the driving means. In this manner individual spinning units may be provided on each side of the drive shafts, with resulting increased compactness of the machine and reduction of the number of operating parts.

Any suitable number of spinning units constructed substantially as described above may be arranged side by side throughout the length of the drive shafts. Power may be supplied to the drive shafts at any suitable point, for example adjacent one end thereof.

The invention will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l is a vertical cross section of a spinning machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross section of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, taken substantially along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a simplified longitudinal section through the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2, taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a side View of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

The apparatus shown in the drawings comprises a pair of axially aligned spindles I Il and II mounted substantially end to end and supported in suitable bearings I2 and I3 respectively. The bearings are secured to channel iron frame members I4 and I5 by means of bolts I6 and Il (Fig. 2).

On the outer end portion of each spindle a looping rotor 20 is mounted and properly spaced with respect thereto by the spindle bushings I2a and i3d. The looping rotor 20 may be of any suitable configuration, but it preferably is 40 provided with a surface substantially in the form of the surface of a truncated cone, as described and claimed in the copending application Serial No. 42,604 filed September 28, 1935 of Oskar Oppenlaender. Any suitable type of construction may be employed in the manufacture of the rotors, but the following construction is economical, simple, and at present preferred: Washer members 2l are suitably fastened to the outer end portion of the spindle VI0 and support a cylindrical rotor body 22 in axial alignment about the spindle. The rotor body 22 is advantageously constructed of acid-proof material and may be connected to theY washer members in any suitable manner for rotation with the spindle. A rotor shell 23 designed to fit snugly over the rotor body 22 is mounted thereupon and held in position by friction. Such shells advantageously enable an operator to changeY proof material and may engage the washer Imembers 25 frictionally, or may be rmly connected thereto in any suitable manner. The

rotor shell 28 snugly fits over the body member Y 2?, engaging it frictionally but tightly.

The axle 26 of the lower rotor 24 is mounted on a suitable supporting member 35. The axle 26 may be mounted for rotation with respect to the supporting member 30, but preferably it is firmly associated with a bushing 3l which is threaded and fastened securely to the supporting member 36 by means of a nut 32. When the axle 26 is thus mounted, the washer members 25 of the rotor are preferably constructed of, or coated with, a self-lubricating and acid-proof material such as rubber and designed to rotate about the axle.

The supporting member 30 upon which the axle 26 is mounted is pivotally connected to a channel iron frame member 33 by means of a pivot pin 34. .The pivotal connection of the supporting member 3E) to the frame member permits angular adjustment of the lower rotor 24 with respect to the upper rotor 20 in parallel planes through both axes.

The body member 22 of the upper rotor and the body member 21 of the lower rotor are each provided with pulleys 35 and 36 respectively. A flexible and acid-proof belt or rope 31 engages the pulleys 35 and 35, thereby connecting the rotors 2G and 24 and permitting them to operate as a unit. If desired, other suitable driving means, for example an acid-proof chain and sprocket drive, may be substituted for the belt or rope and pulleys.

For the purpose of driving the rotors on both sides of the machine, a low speed drive shaft 4i? and two high speed drive shafts 4| and 42 are provided. The low speed drive shaft 40, positioned in the proximity of the inner end portions of the rotor spindles IIJ and II, is adapted to be coupled with either one or both of the' spindles. The high speed drive shafts 4I and 42 are positioned one adjacent a midportion of each of the spindles I0 and Il. Each of the high speed drive shafts is adapted to be coupled with the spindle the mid-portion of which it is adjacent. A channel iron frame member 43, and a bracket 44 fastened thereto, support the drive shafts in proper relation to the spindles.

A laterally immovable low-speed spindle driving member 45 running in bushings 45 is supported by the bearing and bearing caps 44 holding the inner end portions of the spindles IEI and I I through bearings I2 and I3 and in freely rotatable relationship therewith. A spiral gear 4l mounted upon the low speed drive shaft 4I] engages the above spindle driving member 45. Thus, as the low-speed drive shaft rotates, the low-speed spindle driving member rotates with it.

A laterally immovable high-speed spindle driving member 50 is mounted about a mid-portion of one of the rotor spindles I0 in freely rotatable relationship therewith, and a second high-speed spindle driving member 5I is similarly mounted about the other rotor spindle II. The high-speed drive shafts 4I and 42 are provided with spiral gears 52 and 53 respectively which engage corresponding spiral gears 54 and 55 associated with the high-speed spindle driving members 50 and 5I respectively. As in the case of the low-speed drive shaft 4I) and the lowspeed spindle driving member 45 coupled with it, the high-speed spindle driving members 50 and El continually rotate with the high-speed drive shafts 4I and 42. Y

Each of the high-speed spindle driving members 53 and 5I is provided upon its inner face with projections 56 and 51 respectively. Projections 60 and 6| are also provided upon each face of the low-speed spindle driving member 45.

A clutch member 62 is keyed to the spindle I8 so as to be non-rotatable with respect thereto but slidable therealong between the high speed spindle driving member 50 and the low speed spindle driving member 45. Projections 63 corresponding to the projections 56 and 60 of the spindle driving members 45 and 58 are provided upon each face of the clutch member B2. The

projections 63 of the clutch member 62 are de-` signed to engage the corresponding projections of the spindle driving members when the clutch member 52 is moved along the spindle I0 into contact with one of the spindle driving members. A similar clutch member 64 provided upon each face with projections 65 is keyed to the oppositerotor spindle l l in substantially the same manner as the above described clutch member 62.

Each of the clutch members 52 and 64 is provided with clutch operating mechanism comprising a clutch control rod 65 supported in a suitable bushing 66 and a connecting arm 6l. The connecting arms 6l are associated with the clutch members 62 and 64 in such a manner as not to interfere with the free rotation thereof, and are rmly connected to the inner end portion of the clutch control rods 65. The clutch control rods are provided with handles 68 to make them easy to grasp.

The clutch control rod 65 is provided at a suitable point with three contiguous notches l0 (Fig. 2). The bushing 65 is provided adjacent the notches with a drilled shoulder ll. A metal ball is positioned within the shoulder and is held against the notches in the clutch control rod by means of a spring l2 pressing against a retaining screw 13.

When the clutch control rod 65 is pushed in from a neutral position, the connecting arm 5l causes the clutch member 82 to move against the slow speed spindle driving member 45 and to engage therewith by interlocking of the projections 53 and 6B with which the engaging members are respectively provided. The spindle I0 is there-` upon driven at low speed by the low speed drive shaft through the slow speed spindle driving member and the clutch member. Similarly, when the clutch control rod is pulled out from a neutral position, the clutch member 62 is caused to engage with the high speed spindle driving member 50 by interlocking of the corresponding projections upon adjacent faces of the clutch member and the high speed spindle driving member. The spindle is thereupon driven at high speed by the high speed drive shaft, through the high speed spindle driving member 5U and the clutch member 62. In neutral position, the clutch member is disengaged from both spindle driving members and hence the spindle is not driven. The ball and notch arrangement with which the clutch control rod 65 is provided aids in maintaining the clutch member in the desired one of its three operative positions, that is, engagement with the high speed spindle driving member, neutral, and engagement with the low speed spindle driving member.

Each of the spinning units is provided with a bobbin 14 to collect thread passing from the looping rotors. 'Ihe bobbins 'I4 are'mounted on the end portions of a bobbin spindle 15, of a length substantially equal to the combined length of the two axially aligned rotor spindles I0 and ll, extending transversely through the machine above the rotor spindles. The bobbins 14 are mounted upon the bobbin spindle so as to be readily removable therefrom when a suitable quantity of thread has collected upon them. Winding guides l5 serve to distribute thread evenly over the surface of the bobbin.

A spiral gear 'il is mounted upon the bobbin spindle 15. A bobbin drive shaft l8 extending the length of the machine substantially parallel to the high and low speed rotor drive shafts is provided with a spiral gear 80 corresponding to and engaging Ythe spiral gear 'il' on the bobbin spindle l5. As the bobbin drive shaft 18 rotates in the usual manner with decreasing speed during each spin period in order to compensate for the growing package diameter, it continually drives the bobbin spindle 'I5 and the bobbins 14 mounted thereupon through the engaging spiral ears 8!! and l1.

Substantially the entire operating mechanism of the machine, including bobbin and rotor spindles, drive shafts, spindle driving and clutch members, and clutch operating mechanism, is advantageously enclosed by side walls 84 anda cover member 85, thereby to prevent splashing or spattering of oil or grease upon the laments during the spinning of the thread. The cover member E5, fastened to frame members by means of bolts 85, is removable to permit ready access to the operating mechanism. A guard 88 adjacent the upper rotor 20 and a corresponding guard 85 adjacent the lower rotor prevents thread wound on the rotors from entangling with the exible belt 3l joining the rotors.

The operation of any spinning unit is substantially as follows: The various drive shafts are set in operation, and the clutch control rod 65 is pushed in to cause the clutch member 62 to engage the low speed spindle driving member 45, thereby coupling the roto-r spindle i8 and the low speed drive shaft lili. rlhe spinning roto-rs' 20 and 24 thereupon commence to rotate at low speed.

Freshly coagulated filaments Sl from a bath of coagulating solution Q2 are manuallywound in a plurality of loops around the slowly rotating rotors, the angular position of the lower spinning rotor 28 having been adjusted to feed the thread and the like from loop to loop. When the proper number of loops have been wound about the rotors, the thread is passed through the winding guide 76 and is introduced into engagement with the rotating bobbin. Simultaneously, the clutch control rod 85 is pulled out, causing the clutch member to disengage from the low speed spindle driving member 45 and to engage with the high speed spindle driving member 5B, whereupon the rotors commence to operate at high'speed. The spinning ope-ration proceeds at high speed until the bobbin has collected a full package of thread.

During the spinning operation, the peripheralr bobbin speed is kept preferably lower than the rotor speed in order to permit the thread and the like to contract substantially on its way from rotor to collecting device, thereby to attain properly wound packages and more uniform yarn properties. A

Preferably the operation of all of the spinning units on both sides of the machine is continued until all of the bobbins have collected a thread package of desired weight. The entire machine is then stopped, fresh bobbins are substituted upon the bobbin spindle l5 for the full bobbins, and the operation is again commenced. If the thread being spun upon any unit should break, however, or if for .any other reason the operation of a unit should go amiss, operation of that unit may be stopped by pushing the clutch control rod into the neutral position, thereby uncoupling the rotor spindle of that unit from the drive shaft. If the difculty is such that it may be promptly rectified, the filaments may again be wound upon the spinning rotors and the unit may once more be set in operation. If the -diiliculty is of a more serious nature, the unit may .remain out of operation without in any way affecting the steady operation of the machine as a whole.

Apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention possesses advantages not attainable in apparatus of the same general class heretofore proposed or employed. Apparatus according to the invention may be readily built with any'suitable number of individual spinning units, thereby achieving the advantages incidental to the use of multiple unit machines. At the same time, the flexibility of individual units is preserved, and it is not necessary to discontinue operation of the entire machine if anything should happen to the operation of one or a. few ofthe units. High and low speed drive of each pair of spinning rotors is achieved with a minimum of operating parts, thereby simplifying construction of the machine and reducing the expense involved in its first cost and in its operation and maintenance. If properly operated, spinning machines constructed in accordance with the invention facilitate the manufacture of thread of uniformly fine quality at a relatively low cost.

; We claim:

l. Apparatus for spinning rayon and the like comprising a rotatably mounted spindle, a rotor secured to said spindle, a second rotor spaced from the first-mentioned rotor, belt means connecting said rotors for driving the pair of rotors vas a unit, high speed driving means, low speed driving means, and clutch means for operatively connecting and disconnecting the spindle With respect to each of said driving means.

2. Apparatus for spinning rayon and the like comprising a rotatably mounted spindle, a rotor secured to said spindle, a second rotor spaced from the first-mentioned rotor and pivotally mounted so as to be angularly adjustable with respect thereto, a flexible belt connecting said rotors for driving the pair of rotors as a unit, high speed driving means, low speed driving means, and clutch means slidably mounted on said spindle and rotating therewith for operatively connecting and'disconnecting the spindle with respect to each of said driving means.

3. Apparatus for spinning rayon and the like comprisinga rotatably mounted spindle, a rotor secured to said spindle, a second rotor spaced from the first-mentioned rotor and angularly adjustable with respect thereto, belt means connecting said rotors for driving the pair of rotors as a unit, a high speed rotor drive shaft, a low speed rotor drive shaft, clutch means for operatively connecting and disconnecting said spindle with respect to each of said rotor drive shafts, and a bobbin the drive shaft of which is operatively connected with the high speed rotor drive shaft.

4. Apparatus for spinning rayon and the like comprising a spindle, a rotor secured to said spindle, a low speed drive shaft, arlow speed spindle driving member mounted about said spindle in freely rotatable relationship therewith and operatively associated with said low speed drive shaft, a high'spee'd drive shaft, a high speed spindle driving member mounted about said spindle in freely rotatable relationship therewith and operatively associated with said high speed drive shaft, a clutch member slidably mounted on Said spindle in non-rotatable relationship therewith, and means for sliding the clutch member along the spindle for connecting and disconnecting the spindle with respect to each of said spindle driving members.

5. Apparatus for spinning rayon and the like, comprising a rotatably mounted spindle, a rotor secured to said spindle, a second rotor spaced from the first-mentioned rotor and angularly adjustable with respect thereto, a belt pulley integral with each rotor, a belt attached to each pulley, and means for driving the rotors at different speeds.

OSKAR OPPENLAENDER. WILLIAM G. LEA. 

